rvice overseas, Nick went to work in the maintenance department with the Dubuque Packing Company for 35 years, before moving on to Flexsteel and finally the Diamond Jo Casino, where he eventually retired at the age of 67. Nick would meet and marry the love of his life, Norma Konrardy Manders, and they were blessed with 41 years together and a wonderful family. Nick had a love of electronics and being quite the self taught, "tinkerer", he would spend hours in the garage work shop fixing everything from computers to reel to reel movie projectors. In his younger years, Nick could easily be found out on the river with Norma and all of his "troops", enjoying some fun in the sun. Nick was always very proud of his service with the U.S. Marines and was very involved with the Dubuque Marine Corps League, where he did a little of everything, from holding office, volunteering for fund raising events and Toys for Tots, to being a regular member of the military funeral detail. We are deeply saddened at the sudden loss of our dear husband, dad, grandpa, brother and friend on Christmas Eve, but take comfort in the knowledge that Nick joined his loved ones in Heaven for the most glorious Christmas Eve Mass he's ever attended.Those left to cherish Nick's memory include his loving wife,
Norma Schuster, Dubuque, IA; his 6 daughters,
Brenda (fiancé Jerry Teague) Vowers, Littleton, CO,
Shari (Racil) Mapes, Titusville, FL,
Lisa (Scott) Stella, Titusville, FL,
Michele (Patrick) Botwright, Kodak, TN,
Connie (Nathan) Stickley, Parkersburg, IA
and Becky Manders, Aurora, CO; his 14 grandchildren,
Savanah, Logan, Nicholas (Kevin), Ashley (Brandon), Justin, Andrew, Ben, Isabella, Remek, Eli, Noah, Bayley, Tyler and Drew; his 2 great-grandchildren,
Jayden and Eliana; his 3 sisters,
Margie Nauman,
Jeanne (Dick) Stierman
and Loie (Whitey) Leytem, all of Dubuque, IA; and a sister-in-law,
Ruth Schuster, Sherrill, IA.Nick was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Cletus Schuster, and a brother-in-law, Herman "Boots" Nauman.A Merlin "Nick" Schuster memorial fund has been established, which will be distributed among his favorite charities.
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